The Time for Thinking
by exiled mind
Summary: As the world changes around him, a solemn Remus is not allowed to sulk for long with Sirius Black around. Short, oneshot, slash.


**A/N: Constructive criticism is always encouraged and appreciated.**

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Remus closed his eyes against the harsh glare of the sun reflecting off of the lake. It didn't help. He could still sense the light, the warmth, the beckoning of the soothing water. Well, soothing save for the occasional tentacle spearing up from below. 

James and Sirius, in an attempt to start off a new term of pranking early, had released a number of mischievous water sprites into the lake. Not having any students to terrorize yet, the sprites had quickly become bored and begun to hassle the Giant Squid. The Squid had gotten his revenge, however… upon James and Sirius. They were still pulling lake flora out of the unlikeliest of places…

Of course Remus hadn't been there to see the excitement. Whether he would have given aid or laughed heartily he didn't know, but it was a moot point. An extremely rough full moon had laid him up for more than a day, doing little other than rest in the empty infirmary and groan with the slightest of movements. Madame Pomfrey had fussed over him, but Remus hadn't wanted the attention. He'd simply wanted to sink through the floor and keep falling.

A sigh escaped him. Even here, in the cool, dim shelter of the forest's edge Remus' thoughts wouldn't leave him in peace, wouldn't allow him to rest.

No escape.

He drew his knees up and hugged them to his chest as best he could despite the twinging aches of his sore back.

Yet another thing he did not wish to think about. He let his head drop onto his knees and allowed his light hair to flop forward. It had grown out a bit more than usual this summer. He rather liked it; for all that it made him look like he was trying to emulate a certain troublemaking, heartthrob Quidditch player.

He heard footsteps swishing through the grass, headed in his direction. He was far enough in the woods that he'd thought he might have privacy, without being so far as to feel guilty about breaking school rules. _Wouldn't do to have a Prefect blatantly flaunting the rules, now would it?_

That thought brought a humorless smile to his lips. He was a werewolf illicitly attending a school of wizardry who spent the majority of his nonacademic time with three illegal animagi while breaking countless rules. No, wouldn't do for him to wander about the woods on his own.

He rolled his head sideways so he could get a look at the person so rudely interrupting his sulk.

Sirius.

It figured. Sirius had a habit of only allowing Remus to indulge in self-pity for so long before he felt it his solemn duty to wrestle his sorrowful friend into a better mood.

Although the wicked, masochistic part of Remus' brain muttered in annoyance at the intrusion, Remus forced himself to smile at the tall boy striding toward him, Sirius' gait showing a clear sense of purpose. Remus truly was happy to see his friend and was perhaps even looking forward to whatever method Sirius would employ to cheer Remus up.

Remus didn't think he was up for swimming or helping Sirius and James practice Quidditch moves, but perhaps a more sedate game of Chess would be just the thing. Or they could make a pass around the castle and make sure all of the hidden passages and castle secrets were still in proper working order. Much easier to do now, before the term officially started. No dodging curious first-years or tiring himself out distracting his fellow Marauders from setting off dungbombs in the halls.

With the growing danger to wizards and Muggles alike, the school administration had thought it best to bring in the Prefects, Head Boy and Girl, and a few other upper-level students in early. They were all given clear and repeated instructions for the changes that would be made for the coming term and all of the new rules and safety regulations that would be put into place. The wizarding world was becoming more dangerous by the day and something needed to be done to heighten awareness and protection.

Remus, as Prefect, and James and Lily as Head Boy and Girl were all among those summoned early. Sirius' presence at these meetings was a bit more of a mystery, however Remus suspected that it had to do with the fact that so many of the younger students looked up to him, as an icon and role model to the younger troublemakers of the school and as an object of adolescent lust to others. If the gravity of the current situation could be imprinted upon Sirius and he were able to model proper behavior to younger students, then a number of potential problems might be averted.

Remus snorted. Right. They were all doomed if Sirius was to be the example against which all the ickle first-years patterned their behavior.

"And what are you laughing at, mate?" Came the voice of the proposed paragon.

"The thought of you as a proper role-model." Remus' skepticism was clear in his tone.

"Ah, you've discerned my unexpected presence here at these little gatherings, then? I'll have you know that I can be the very picture of a perfect gentleman," Sirius replied.

"I believe the end of that sentence is 'when you want to.'"

"True enough. Are you prepared to stop moaning and groaning out here on your own?"

"I am not moaning, nor groaning. And even if I were I certainly wouldn't be finished yet."

"Too bad, mate. I'm here to put a stop to it nonetheless."

Remus heaved a huge sigh, and then winced as the deep breath caused his back to complain.

Sirius noticed his discomfort and sat down near Remus on the soft grass.

Remus couldn't help but notice how Sirius once ungainly body now moved rather gracefully as he lowered himself to the ground.

"Back hurt?" Sirius asked.

"A bit."

"You lying about the bit?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. Here, lemme try something…"

Remus didn't have a chance to question or protest before Sirius' hands were moving along his back. He was softly pressing here and there, finding aches and knots and gently massaging them away.

They were silent for a minute or two, and then Sirius spoke up again, "Take off your shirt."

"Why?" Remus didn't want to, didn't want Sirius to see. Even with one of his best friends he still felt unimaginably ashamed of his body after the full moon. Of his battered flesh.

"Just do it, Moony. You'll be more comfortable in this heat and the cloth won't chafe your skin where I press down. You've got nothing to hide from me."

"I don't-"

"Don't think, Remus."

Remus sighed and pulled the shirt over his head. He knew this was a battle that he would lose. He always did.

He tensed up involuntarily as he heard Sirius' sharply indrawn breath at the site of his back. The cuts and abrasions, the horrible discoloration of the bruises. He twisted the cloth in his hands for a moment and made to put it back on when he felt Sirius hands return to his back, pressing harder this time, reaching for the deeper aches and trying to banish the stiffness.

This time Remus couldn't hold back his groan. Those strong and clever hands were pressing places… it hurt, but it felt good too. And not just on his back. Other parts of his body were responding to Sirius' handling as well.

It only got worse, better, _more_ until Remus finally shifted to relieve some of the pressure on certain parts of his body. He couldn't fight the flush that overtook him and prayed that Sirius wouldn't notice. Now was not the time to be… canoodling. Out in the open, at _school_ for Merlin's sake.

Remus was about to move away when Sirius applied pressure to his shoulders and pushed him onto his back in the grass. Remus resisted, but in his currently weakened state his defiance was little more than a joke. "What are you-"

"Stop it, Remus." Sirius' voice was stern.

"Stop what?" Remus' tone flirted with crossness.

"Thinking."

"Thinking? What are you on about, Padfoot?"

"You were thinking too hard. Worrying. You don't allow yourself to relax when you think. You can never seem to turn that brain of yours off, to just get caught up." Sirius punctuated each sentence with a squeeze of Remus' shoulders, still refusing to allow Remus up.

"Please, Remus. Please, just try." That last part was almost pleading.

Remus sighed, again. He seemed to be doing that quite a lot lately. "Alright, you win. I'll try."

Sirius graced him with a beaming smile, tinged with just a hint of smugness. He then pressed a quick kiss to Remus lips, not venturing in with his tongue, but more of an innocent kiss that said "thank you" and "trust me" all at once.

Then those lips moved lower to Remus chest, and here they were most certainly _not_ innocent.

Remus breathed deeply, this time in no pain. Whether due to Sirius' earlier ministrations or the new surge of adrenaline into his system he wasn't sure.

Sirius' mouth toyed with Remus' nipples for a moment then traveled down to his stomach, thin and flat. Sirius made a circle around Remus' bellybutton with his tongue, causing Remus abdominal muscles to clench up tightly. Shaggy dark strands of Sirius' hair brushed against Remus' skin, a soft tickling sensation that caused Remus' breath to stop for just a moment.

As Sirius' clever mouth provided a distraction, his searching fingers found their mark and began to fiddle with the snap on Remus' jeans. It took Remus several seconds before he noticed this, however when he did it sent a brief warning up to his brain.

_Outdoors! _A tiny voice shouted at him. _School! _

His zipper snaked down with a soft sound. His hips jerked slightly against his will.

_Prefect! _That ugly little voice wouldn't let up. _Disappointment!_

He opened his mouth to speak, to snap himself out of this dream, but didn't get out more than a strangled sounding moan as Sirius' hand finally found it's target and closed around him.

"Now is not the time for thinking, Remus."

Remus' wild eyes looked down at Sirius, met those dark eyes. That look drove all thoughts of protest from his mind, and the next caress, higher towards the tip of him brought his head back and stiffened his shoulders.

As Remus stared up at the latticework of leaves against the pure blue of the summer sky, he thought, perhaps, just this once, Sirius might be right.

And that was the end of clear thought for a time.


End file.
